Haemoglobin and C-reactive protein levels are efficient at identifying neoplasms as the most common early mortality of chronic diseases in emergency department patients.

Introduction: Extensive research has focused on emergency department (ED) and post-admission deaths, seeking to understand their frequency and causative factors. With the rising prevalence of advanced diseases, it is crucial to identify patients in need of end-of-life care and ensure its high quality. In this epidemiological study, we analyse routine ED blood tests to identify early warning signs of deteriorating patients with common non-traumatic and non-infectious (chronic) conditions. Material and methods: We conducted a retrospective single-centre study for the years 2016-2019 using medical records and electronic data from the Multi-Specialistic Hospital in Gorzów Wielkopolski, Poland. We examined 8971 unique patients with circulatory, neoplastic, and endocrine diseases. We assessed the impact of 2 grouping variables (survivors and non-survivors) on a continuous outcome variable, including age and 37 routine blood tests. Results: Two-way analysis of variance revealed that haemoglobin (Hb), haematocrit (Hct), and C-reactive protein (CRP) are the best differentiating biomarkers for early death in ED patients with cardiovascular, oncological, and endocrine diseases (excluding Hct due to its strong correlation with Hb). The Marczewski-Steinhaus taxonomy highlighted that oncological patients had the shortest survival time, averaging just 2 days from admission among ED non-survivors. Conclusions: Among routinely tested ED biomarkers, Hb and CRP levels are efficient at identifying neoplasms as the most common early mortality of chronic diseases in ED patients.

Levosimendan ­ a valuable player in the treatment of a right-sided heart failure

A 66 year-old obese man, suffering from type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, chronic nephropathy in stage 4, permanent atrial fibrillation accompanied by bradycardia was admitted to a cardiology ward with the signs and symptoms of acute right-sided heart failure. A standard therapy was used including combined diuretics therapy. In spite of the applied methods and pharmaceuticals, no significant reduction of the body weight neither improvement in cardiovascular capacity or renal parameters were observed. Due to the ineffectiveness of the standard combined pharmacotherapy applied in the case of the acute circulatory failure, the resistance to diuretics was recognized and as a result of the above, infusion of levosimendan was decided to be applied. This therapy resulted in rich diuresis, significant loss in body weight and considerable improvement in cardiovascular capacity which allowed to continue further diagnostics and appropriate invasive treatment. The article describes current knowledge on the place of levosimendan and its application in the treatment of an right-sided heart failure.

[Niewydolnosc serca - problem medyczny, ekonomiczny i spoleczny].

Heart failure has accompanied mankind since the dawn of time. The first mentions of the disease, which today we describe as heart failure, come from ancient times. Epidemiology of symptomatic heart failure is well known , especially in Europe. Heart failure affects approximately 2% of the adult population in Europe. The article presents: definition, epidemiology and prognosis of patients with heart failure. The article presents current methods of pharmacotherapy and treatment of heart failure. An important element in the management of patients with heart failure is medical rehabilitation and the prevention of cardiovascular diseases, according to the ESC guidelines. The topic also discussed in the article is the analysis of socio-economic costs of heart failure. The article concludes that: heart failure is a medical problem, because despite the introduction of new treatment methods, it is a disease that is still characterized by poor prognosis; heart failure is an economic problem because its treatment is expensive and absorbs 2% of all costs of healthcare; heart failure is a social problem because it is a disorder affecting mainly elderly people, leading to a significant reduction in their ability to live independently, which results in their exclusion from social life.

[Heart failure in opole voivodeship - epidemiology and future perspectives].

Heart failure appears in 2% of the adult population in Europe. One in five people aged 40 years will develop heart failure during their lifetime. Heart failure touch 20,000 people in the Opole province. Heart failure is the second, after acute coronary syndromes, urgent cause of admissions to the Clinic of Cardiology at the University Hospital in Opole. The paper presents the prognosis of hospitalization of patients with heart failure for the years 2015-2050 taking into account the processes of depopulation taking place in our region. The analysis makes it possible to predict that the age group particularly exposed to heart failure in the coming decades will be people who today belong to teenagers and young adults. The article presents current methods of treatment of heart failure. Improvement in the prognosis of patients with heart failure can occur through the implementation of the guidelines for treatment of heart failure recommended by the ESC. This goal is to be achieved by introducing the "Comprehensive care for patients with heart failure (KONS)" program in our country. The shift of the burden of care for patient with heart failure to outpatient unit will result in a significant reduction in the number of hospitalizations.

Percutaneous transaxillary approach through the first segment of the axillary artery for the Impella-supported PCI Versus TAVR.

Percutaneous transaxillary approach (PTAX) through the first segment of the axillary artery is not widely recognized as a safe method. Furthermore, PTAX has never been directly compared between Impella-supported percutaneous coronary interventions (Impella-PCI) and transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR). This study evaluated the feasibility and safety of PTAX through the first axillary segment in Impella-PCI versus TAVR. In cases where standard imaging guidance was insufficient, a technique involving puncturing the axillary artery "on-the-balloon" was employed. The endpoints were bleeding and vascular complications, as defined by BARC and VARC-3 criteria. PTAX was successfully performed in all 46 attempted cases: 23 for Impella-PCI and 23 for TAVR. Strict adherence to BARC and VARC-3 criteria led to the frequent identification of major bleeding (57%) and a moderately frequent diagnosis of vascular complications (17%). These incidences were primarily based on post-procedural hemoglobin reduction (> 3 g/dl) but not overt bleeding. The Impella group exhibited a higher rate of BARC 3b bleeding due to a greater hemoglobin decline resulting from the prolonged implant duration and PCI itself. Left axillary access was linked to smaller blood loss. Bleeding and vascular complications, as per BARC and VARC-3 definitions, did not affect short-term prognosis, with only 3 Impella patients succumbing to heart failure unrelated to the procedures during one-month follow-up period.

Clinical manifestations of cancer in patients with acute pulmonary embolism.

BACKGROUND: Neoplasmatic disease increases the risk of acute pulmonary embolism (APE) by different pathophysiological mechanisms that favor thrombosis in patients with cancer. Recently, the role of cancer (active and occult) in the prevalence of venous thromboembolism has been discussed more thoroughly in the subject literature. MATERIAL: Medical records of 366 consecutive patients with a diagnosis of APE (aged: mean = 65.0 ±â€Š16.6, median = 68, range = 19-94; men = 41%/women = 59%) were collected with a wide range of demographic data, medical history of coexisting diseases, computer examination, and laboratory tests. METHODS: The APE patients were analyzed in two groups: negative cancer cases (83%), i.e. without concomitant active malignancy or a history of cancer, and positive ones (17%), i.e. those hospitalized with concomitant active cancer disease or a history of cancer within the past 5 years. RESULTS: Based on the application of the Student's t -test for independent samples and the χ2 test of independence, a statistically significant difference ( P  < 0.05) between cancer (-) and cancer(+) groups of patients was calculated for the following selected risk factors: BMI, smoking status, hemoglobin, hematocrit, red blood cell, urea, glomerular filtration rate, high-sensitivity troponin T, C-reactive protein (CRP), D-dimer, and NT-proBNP. Using univariate Cox regression and a discrete-time hazard model, the estimated hazard ratios and odds ratios, respectively, for the risk of an earlier death from cancer as well as for a secondary APE episode in APE patients with malignancy are more than three times higher than in cancer-free patients and they are statistically significant ( P  < 0.05). Moreover, the modeled discrete-time hazard curves show a constant excess risk of death and a secondary APE episode in patients diagnosed with malignancy over the period of observation. CONCLUSION: Cancer and APE seem to go 'hand in hand'. Attention should be paid to many factors, primarily clinical, differentiating patients with cancer from those with an APE incident. The patients with cancer after a primary APE should receive anticoagulants to prevent a secondary APE episode and to reduce the risk of mortality.

Stepwise relationship between delay in percutaneous coronary intervention and long-term mortality in patients with non-ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction.

BACKGROUND: Current guidelines recommend coronary catheterization in patients with non-ST- -segment elevation myocardial infarction (NSTEMI) within 24 hours of hospital admission. However, whether there is a stepwise relationship between the time to percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) and long-term mortality in patients with NSTEMI treated invasively within 24 hours of admission has not been established yet. AIMS: The study aimed to evaluate the association between door-to-PCI time and all-cause mortality at 12 and 36 months in NSTEMI patients presenting directly to a PCI-capable center who underwent PCI within the first 24 hours of hospitalization. METHODS: We analyzed data of patients hospitalized for NSTEMI between 2007-2019, included in the nationwide registry of acute coronary syndromes. Patients were stratified into twelve groups based on 2-hour intervals of door-to-PCI time. The mortality rates of patients within those groups were adjusted for 33 confounding variables by the propensity score weighting method using overlap weights. RESULTS: A total of 37 589 patients were included in the study. The median age of included patients was 66.7 (interquartile range [IQR], 59.0-75.8) years; 66.7% were male, and the median GRACE (Global Registry of Acute Coronary Events) score was 115 (98-133). There were increased 12-month and 36-month mortality rates in consecutive groups of patients stratified by 2-hour door-to-PCI time intervals. After adjustment for patient characteristics, there was a significant positive correlation between the time to PCI and the mortality rates (rs = 0.61; P = 0.04 and rs = 0.65; P = 0.02 for 12-month and 36-month mortality, respectively). CONCLUSIONS: The longer the door-to-PCI time, the higher were 12-month and 36-month all-cause mortality rates in NSTEMI patients.

Vasospastic angina with J-wave pattern and polymorphic ventricular tachycardia effectively treated with quinidine.

BACKGROUND: Myocardial ischemia during coronary spasm may generate malignant ventricular arrhythmias. The J-wave pattern was suggested to be a marker of a disorder associated with life-threatening arrhythmias. RESULTS: We report the case of a patient with vasospastic angina and J-wave pattern in inferior and lateral leads associated with polymorphic ventricular tachycardia which was effectively treated only with quinidine-vasodilating drugs were not able to prevent the arrhythmia although they were effective in preventing ischemic events. CONCLUSION: The J-wave pattern in inferolateral leads may be a sign of electrical vulnerability to lethal ventricular arrhythmia in patients suffering from vasospastic angina--quinidine can effectively prevent such arrhythmias in these patients.

In-Hospital and One-Year Outcomes of Patients after Early and Late Resuscitated Cardiac Arrest Complicating Acute Myocardial Infarction-Data from a Nationwide Database.

The prognostic role of early (less than 48 h) resuscitated cardiac arrest (ErCA) complicating acute myocardial infarction (AMI) is still controversial. The present study aimed to analyse the short-term and one-year outcomes of patients after ErCA and late resuscitated cardiac arrest (LrCA) compared to patients without cardiac arrest (CA) complicating AMI. Data from the prospective nationwide Polish Registry of Acute Coronary Syndromes (PL-ACS) were used to assess patients with resuscitated cardiac arrest (rCA) after AMI. Baseline clinical characteristics and the predictors of all-cause death were assessed. The all-cause mortality rate, complications, performed procedures, and re-hospitalisations were assessed for the in-hospital period, 30 days after discharge, and 6- and 12-month follow-ups. Among 167,621 cases of AMI, CA occurred in 3564 (2.1%) patients, that is, 3100 (87%) and 464 (13%) patients with ErCA and LrCA, respectively. The mortality rates in the ErCA vs. LrCA and CA vs. non-CA groups were as follows: in-hospital: 32.1% vs. 59.1% (p < 0.0001) and 35.6% vs. 6.0% (p < 0.0001); 30-day: 2.2% vs. 3.2% (p = 0.42) and 9.9% vs. 5.2% (p < 0.0001); 6-month: 9.2% vs. 17.9% (p = 0.0001) and 12.3% vs. 21.1% (p < 0.0001); and 12-month: 12.3% vs. 21.1% (p = 0.001) and 13% vs. 7.7% (p < 0.0001), respectively. ErCA (hazard ratio (HR): 1.54, confidence interval (CI):1.28-1.89; p < 0.0001) and LrCA (HR: 2.34, CI: 1.39-3.93; p = 0.001) increased the risk of 12-month mortality. During the 12-month follow-up, patients after LrCA more frequently required hospitalisation due to heart failure compared to patients after ErCA. ErCA was related to a higher hospitalisation rate due to coronary-related causes and a higher rate of percutaneous coronary intervention. An episode of LrCA was associated with higher in-hospital and long-term mortality compared to ErCA. ErCA and LrCA were independent risk factors for one-year mortality.

Real-Life Outcomes of Coronary Bifurcation Stenting in Acute Myocardial Infarction (Zabrze-Opole Registry).

Percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) of bifurcation lesions is a technical challenge associated with high risk of adverse events, especially in primary PCI. The aim of the study is to analyze long-term outcomes after PCI for coronary bifurcation in acute myocardial infarction (AMI). The outcome was defined as the rate of major adverse cardiac event related to target lesion failure (MACE-TLF) (death-TLF, nonfatal myocardial infarction-TLF and target lesion revascularization (TLR)) and the rate of stent thrombosis (ST). From 306 patients enrolled to the registry, 113 were diagnosed with AMI. In the long term, AMI was not a risk factor for MACE-TLF. The risk of MACE-TLF was dependent on the culprit lesion, especially in the right coronary artery (RCA) and side branch (SB) with a diameter >3 mm. When PCI was performed in the SB, the inflation pressure in SB remained the single risk factor of poor prognosis. The rate of cumulative ST driven by late ST in AMI was dependent on the inflation pressure in the main branch (MB). In conclusion, PCI of bifurcation culprit lesions should be performed carefully in case of RCA and large SB diameter and attention should be paid to high inflation pressure in the SB. On the contrary, the lower the inflation pressure in the MB, the higher the risk of ST.

Does the origin of ablated premature ventricular contractions determine the level of left ventricular function improvement?

BACKGROUND: Premature ventricular contractions (PVCs) are associated with tachycardiomyopathy and high mortality rate. The treatment depends on the engaged ventricle. For PVCs originating from the right outflow tract (OT), radiofrequency catheter ablation (RFCA) is recommended (class IB­R recommendation) in preference to pharmacotherapy. In those originating from the left ventricle, ablation is a class IIa B­NR recommendation. AIMS: The aim of the study was to assess the success of RFCA of PVCs based on arrhythmia origin. METHODS: A total of 110 consecutive patients with monomorphic PVCs referred for ablation were enrolled and divided according to the site of ablation to the OT group and the ventricles (VENT) group. Holter electrocardiography and echocardiography were performed before the procedure and at 6­month follow­up. RESULTS: Long­term RFCA success was achieved in 93 (85%) patients (89% in the OT group and 82% in the VENT group; P = 0.39). The PVC reduction was similar in both groups (median [interquartile range] 99.55% [14] and 99.88% [6], respectively; P = 0.56). The OT group presented greater left ventricle (LV) recovery than the VENT group (odds ratio, 2.01; 95% CI, 1.15-10.75; P = 0.015). The procedure in the VENT group was longer, required additional access, the complication rate was similar, and 1 serious adverse event (aortic dissection) was observed in a patient with arrhytmia originating in the LV outflow tract. CONCLUSIONS: The origin of PVCs does not determine the success of arrhythmia elimination. The OT origin may predict LV improvement. The duration of RFCA in the VENT group was longer. The outflow tract origin may predict reversal of LV deterioration.

Ultra-low contrast coronary angiography and zero-contrast percutaneous coronary intervention for prevention of contrast-induced nephropathy: step-by-step approach and review.

Contrast-induced nephropathy is a serious complication after intravascular administration of iodinated contrast media and is associated with numerous adverse outcomes. Its prevalence is particularly high in patients with multiple comorbidities who undergo coronary angiography and percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). Currently, the only effective method to prevent contrast-induced kidney injury is adequate hydration and a reduction of contrast volume during the intervention. Recently, new approaches aiming to minimize contrast usage have been proposed, i.e., ultra-low contrast angiography and zero-contrast PCI. However, neither tutorials for these techniques nor reviews of their outcomes exist in the literature, and therefore dissemination of these approaches among the interventional community may be limited. This article presents a step-by-step description on how to perform ultra-low coronary angiography and zero-contrast PCI, which should help invasive cardiologists to adopt these techniques in daily practice. A review of clinical studies, case series and single case reports regarding these methods is also provided. Despite the promising results, such procedures still require some improvements and confirmation of their effectiveness as well as safety in large clinical studies. This article aims to spread these new techniques throughout the interventional community, which is paramount for their further development and wider utilization.

Zero-contrast percutaneous coronary interventions to preserve kidney function in patients with severe renal impairment and hemodialysis subjects.

INTRODUCTION: Zero-contrast percutaneous coronary intervention (zero-PCI) is a new method for prevention of contrast-induced acute kidney injury (AKI) in patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD). However, evidence for its feasibility, safety and clinical utility is limited to reports of single cases or series of patients. AIM: To present outcomes of zero-PCI in patients with severe CKD, including hemodialysis subjects, who were treated with this procedure in order to preserve their renal function. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Twenty-nine zero-PCIs were performed, mostly as a staged procedure, in 20 patients with advanced CKD. In this group, 4 patients were treated with hemodialysis but presented preserved residual renal function. The estimated median risk for contrast-induced AKI in non-dialysis patients was 26% (26-57%). RESULTS: Zero-PCI was feasible in each intended patient, including those with complex left main stenosis or lesion within a saphenous vein graft, and there was no specific complication associated with this technique. After the procedure, the factual AKI prevalence was 10% and no patient required renal replacement therapy. Three of 4 hemodialysis patients preserved their residual renal function. During the median follow-up of 3.2 (1.2-5.3) months no patient experienced an acute coronary event or required revascularization. CONCLUSIONS: Zero-PCI is a safe and promising method to preserve renal function in patients with CKD and hemodialysis patients. Such an approach is feasible even in complex coronary lesions and yields good clinical outcomes in mid-term observation.

Is It Time to Begin a Public Campaign Concerning Frailty and Pre-frailty? A Review Article.

Frailty is a state that encompasses losses in physical, psychological or social domains. Therefore, frail people demonstrate a reduced potential to manage external stressors and to respond to life incidents. Consequently, such persons are prone to various adverse consequences such as falls, cognitive decline, infections, hospitalization, disability, institutionalization, and death. Pre-frailty is a condition predisposing and usually preceding the frailty state. Early detection of frailty (i.e., pre-frailty) may present an opportunity to introduce effective management to improve outcomes. Exercise training appears to be the basis of such management in addition to periodic monitoring of food intake and body weight. However, various nutritional supplements and other probable interventions, such as treatment with vitamin D or androgen, require further investigation. Notably, many societies are not conscious of frailty as a health problem. In fact, people generally do not realize that they can change this unfavorable trajectory to senility. As populations age, it is reasonable to begin treating frailty similarly to other population-affecting disorders (e.g., obesity, diabetes or cardiovascular diseases) and implement appropriate preventative measures. Social campaigns should inform societies about age-related frailty and pre-frailty and suggest appropriate lifestyles to avoid or delay these conditions. In this article, we review current information concerning therapeutic interventions in frailty and pre-frailty and discuss whether a greater public awareness of such conditions and some preventative and therapeutic measures may decrease their prevalence.

The effect of radiofrequency catheter ablation of frequent premature ventricular complexes and arrhythmia burden on left ventricular function.

BACKGROUND: Frequent premature ventricular complexes (PVC) are related to reversible tachycardia-induced cardiomyopathy. However, the role of arrhythmia burden on the outcome of the catheter ablation has not been fully recognised. AIM: The aim of this study was to assess the effect of catheter ablation and PVC burden in patients with and without structural heart disease (SHD) on left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF). METHODS: Transthoracic echocardiography was done before and six months after radiofrequency catheter ablation in 109 consecutive patients (61 men, age 55 ± 17 years) with frequent PVCs. Sixty-five (59.6%) patients had underlying SHD. RESULTS: The catheter ablation procedure was successful in 93 (85.3%) patients. Baseline PVC burden was higher in patients with SHD (22,267 ± 12,934) compared to those without concomitant SHD (15,546 ± 7888), p = 0.005. Nevertheless, patients with LVEF ≤ 50% at baseline presented greater LVEF recovery (from 44% to 56%) than those with LVEF > 50% at baseline after catheter ablation. In both groups, the LVEF improved (p < 0.001); however, no difference was observed be-tween patients with SHD (5.7% ± 1.37%) and without (4.6% ± 0.96%) SHD; p = 0.89. PVC burden was higher in patients with (24,350 ± 2776 PVC/day) compared to those without (17,588 ± 1970 PVC/day) improvement of LVEF. In multivariate regression analysis PVC burden > 20,000/day (but not age, p = 0.95; gender, p = 0.89; presence of SHD, p = 0.53; QRS complex width of the treated PVC, p = 0.21, LVEF before ablation, p = 0.19; and site of origin, p = 47) predicted improvement in LVEF after successful catheter ablation (odds ratio: 3.53; 95% confidence interval: 1.15-10.75; p = 0.023). CONCLUSIONS: Catheter ablation of frequent PVCs improves left ventricular function in multivariate analysis predicted improvement of LVEF within six months after the successful catheter ablation procedure in patients with PVC burden exceeding 20,000/24 h.